Universal splint



Nov. 14, 1944. c. B. ULRICH UNIVERSAL SPLINT Filed Oct. 8, 1942 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 INVENTOR. CHARLES B. ULxzlcH Mwr 6 M A 7'TOENE-Y.

Nov. 14, 1944.

c. B; ULRICH 6 2,362,866

UNIVERSAL SPLINT Filed Oct. 8, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CHARLES 5. 04.12 ICH.

HTTOQNEY.

' to the lower Patented Nov. 14,1944

, uN-mssn; o, Charles BfUhiieh, J mestown; N. y,.- P v Assumes neither 8, iaiafsef r'iai Nt. 461,534

* onin (c1.-'1-2 s- -'s'5)" My invention pertains to. a: structure adapted to hold fractured bones .in proper position for knitting and healing, and also to holdthe parts of dislocations in place for healing, including fractures and dislocations involves the vertebrae,

'; ed'ges,'-with mooring devicesin the form-of spaced ghookegonringg; as desired, having the following ribs, shoulder blades-collar bones, "pelvic bones andleg bones. d t o The structure oft-my invention includes a base plate or frame adapted to rest'in horizontal posi- -tion on a suitablesupport such as a bed, to

which baseplate.a'iback'portion is hinged to support the back of a'patient' at a desiredinclina- 3 -tion,' andto which two-separate leg supports are flexiblysecured, "so that-either leg support may; 15

be given a desirediinclinationupwardly from pport, according. the requirements any particular case. v v r \i "fTo secure adjustability'ofthe back supporting a back extension which projects'under the back supporting portion -a',,substantial distance, and

an adjustable strut pivoted toone of said parts, for example, theback extension, for engagement with desired teeth of adjustment racks secured to the other of' said parts, forexample,

surface of the backsupporting' portion. I s

To secure independent adjustability of the leg supports, and to holdeither legv support/eta \desiredinclination to the base plate orframe independently of theother legsupport, the base plate or frame isprovided with a leg extension projecting a substantial distance under eachleg support, and each leg support isheld at a 'de- -si'r'ed-inclinationto its leg. extension by an adjustable strut pivotallysecured to one ofsaid parts, forexample, to the lower, surface of the .leg support, fo'r engagement with desiredt'eeth "the base plate, independently of'the other leg- :convenientmeans for holding in place against displacement and with desired pressure, flexible bands ,employed'to hold fracturedbone parts in= 'proper,@a1ignment for knitting and healing; second, said; mooring, ;devices afford-a convenient meansqfor fastening the ropes orcords of traction deviceswholly or in part according -to the particular case, wheregtraction is used to .prevent fractured bone surfaces or ends from overlapping; and third, said mooring devicesafford a; convenient means for the attachment of flexible bands, by which attendants maymove :the entire-, baseiplate. or frame with a patient thereon; without disturbingin any way the adjustment-tofu ,any part of the splint structure, without movement of;;any kind of the patient on .the splint,istructllre,- and without in any'gway n i g;the-a ustme of n bonev a n addition; saidzmooring devices are a convenience for many, other purposes incident to treating leg supports 'are'preferably, provided with short posts and, 'cleats for engagement by the, ropes -or: cords used in ertain-kinds of ,traction ap- ,plication involving fractured leg bones.

'when the back supporting. portion and the leg supports are in their lowermost positions, the

,entire splint structure is fiat and of .small thick- 'iness, and there are no -loose vpartsitl at can be lost, making: the problem-of; storing the structure economical; of storagegspace, The splint struc- :when it is not in',use',.a very simple one and most ture describedais?adapted'to-handle allkinds of bone:fractures,:.whether simple or compound.

of adjustment racks'secured to the other. of said parts, for example, leg extension. I v. 7 t a 'The leg. supports are'extensible to accommodatepatients .of' different heights, byfmaking to thepupper surface of the each leg support in two sections having parts,

/ 'raisedsition 1 p y r ,Myinvention will be best understood by reference tov theaccompanying drawingsillustrating a :preferred "embodiment thereof,-in which a-Fig, 1 illust'rates'the invention in plan view,

' a Fig. 2 is a side: elevation of the structure shown .in Fig.1, '1 I V i Fig. 3 isa longitudinal, vertical, sectional'view -to ani-zenlarged scale'of a part of the structure shown in Fig. l'takenalong the line 3-3 in the latterfigure, with the illustrated leg support in I Figs, 4. toflainclusive are vertical, sectional views to a further enlarged scale of parts of the structure shown -in"Fig gj3, taken respectively along the -1ines-44, 5-5, .6 6-and 1- -1 in the latter figure; a U. Fig. 8 is a vertical; sectional view of the structhe v cludes a base plate In having a substantially flat.

upper surface which in use is generally support; ed in horizontal position or nearly so. The "base plate has secured to its head end, 'a back .;supporting portion H by means of a transverse,

a'substantial amount for engagement with the buttocks of a patient, which is found to be an advantage in connection with handling some types of fractures and dislocations.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a laterally extending reinforcing bar 23 is secured to the lower surface of the base plate l adjacent its connection with the leg supports I8, to stiffen said base plate.

The described construction of the leg supports 18 and their connection-with the base plate In and its leg extensions l1, provide a convenient and effective means for elevating either leg of a patient, as desired, where the case calls for such treatment, and Without in any way changing the rigidity of lateral relationship between the base hinge I2, so that the upper surfaces of the plate l0 and the portion II are in substantially the same plane when the portion H is in its lower- 'most position, To accomplish this, the plate is slightly offset downwardly adjacent the hinge l2 and providedwith a flat extension I: under the portion H and in a plane parallel to theplane of the plate ill. A U-s'haped strut l4 comprising a bent metal rod, is pivotally connected with the extension l3 byclips [-5 secured to said extension, to engage toothed rack-bars l-Gin any'adjustment, when it is "desired to support the portion ll at a desired inclination to the plate lll, said rack bars being secured to thelower surface of the portion ll and extending longitudi- 'nally thereof. v

The plate In is also provided with two slightly spaced leg extensions 1 I, substantially in the plane of the plate [-0, above which leg-extensions leg supports I 8 are respectivelydisposed, each of said leg supports comprising two sections 1 8a and l8b. The sections -l-8a and 18b of each leg support, are provided along each of their longitudinal edges with tubular portions We and 1861 respectively, which telescope each other with sliding engagement (Fig. 4) so that eachsection 181) may be drawn out or extended from the corresponding section 18a, and may be similarly "bular portion lfld on each of the sections lflb, is

provided with a plurality of clearance holes We;

to receive a'clamping screw I9 threaded into the adjacent tubu'lar portion 180, (Fig. 4), by which the sections Ilia and 1% maybe secured and held in any desired longitudinal adjustment.

As shown in Figs. 1 and z and as more clearly shown in Fig.3, eac'hsection Ba has pivotallysecured to its lower surface, a U-shaped strut 20 similar to the strut ll, for engagement with the teeth of rack bars 21 carried by the upper surface of the corresponding leg extension [1' :(see Fig. '7), connection clips 22 being employed to eifect said pivotal connection (see Figs. 5 and 8).

Excepting at their telescoping portions, the sections 18a and 'IBb are preferably provided with reinforcing edge flanges Hi to stiffen said sections (Fig. 6), but it will be noted (Figs. :2 and 3) that said flanges are discontinued on the sections l8a adjacent the base plate 10, where said sections l8a are rigidly secured to the base plate 10, for example, by rivets or spot welding. Adjacent the base plate I0, each section l8a is offplate 10 and the leg supports 'N3, the material of the sections 1 8a where not reinforced by edge flanges, being suificiently flexible to permit adjus'ting the leg supports to any degree of inclination that may be needed. I

Each of 'the sections 18b as-sshown in Fig. 1 is preferably provided near itsouter-end, with an opening covered by interwoven tapes '24 of fabric, to .cushion the heels of a patient. The base plate lll,its extensions l3 and H, the back supporting portion II and the leg supports -:Ii8 :are preferably made of suitable sheet metal reinforced as described or bysequivalent means, :although said parts may be made of other sheet material that 'will give similar results, the requirement being that the structure shall afford a support for :a patient and have sufiicient stability and rigidity to maintainzin desired adjust- :ment the parts of the-patient secured to the structure, even when the entire splint structure is moved with the patient thereon, from one location or position to another. i

To facilitate securing the parts of fractures :anddislocations to the splint structure in desired. adjustmenh'iand to hold the patient and splint structure inapplying traction, spaced moor- .ing deVice JZ-S, .26 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3), are preferably secured to the lower surfaces of the parts ofthe structure ,near their edges, for example,

by :riveting or spot welding, the devices 25 comprising metalhooks asshown in Fig.7 and the devices 26 comprising. metal rings secured to the splint parts by metal clips 26a as shown in Figs. 9

- :and 10. To :hold the parts of the patient in dersirecl adjustment, fabric bands 21 of the kind shown in Fig. 11 maybe employed to advantage, .having metal rings 28 thereon and provided with buckles as shown at 29. The rings v28 may be readily engaged with the hooks of the devices 25, and Where mooring devices 26are'11sed, the bands Zhmay "be threaded through the rings of said devices, suitable pads being employed in any case 'to give desired elevations to the parts of the patient so secured to the splint structure, and at the same time to afford the greatest possible comfort :to the patient.

To facilitate certain types of traction,'the outer end of each leg support has 'rigidlysecuredtheretoashort vertical post :30 of metal (Figs. 1, 2 and .3) ,preferasbly notched at its .upper'end to receive and hold in place the traction cord or rope, a cleat 3| "being also rigidly secured to theend oi the leg support, to which the cord or rope may be fastened.

.In using the splint structure, because of the rigidity thereof, additional splints are seldom required, 1 and inmany cases where they might otherwise be indicated, casts are not needed.

set upwardly and in a smoothly curvedmanner, Thus, because :of the parts being held positively "accessible for 1 examin 'moved as 'a w hole;with* he patient thereonarid because of the; patient parts being Conveniently ion 'a'nd' where necessary, for treatment, andbecau'se of thenecessary pres"- sures and-'restraint exertd on the patient being reduced to a minimum, recoveries proceed much more rapidly and effectively than with the usual practice involving local splints and casts. I

Where for any reason it is desired to move the splint structure as a whole and with a patient held thereon in adjustedposition, it may readily be done without discomfort of any kind to the patient and without any change in the adjustment of the patient, by an attendant on either side of the splint structure, each using a band of the kind shown in Fig; 11, passing around the neck and over the shoulders of each attendant if desired, by engaging the rings 28 with suitable ones of the mooring'hooks '25 onthe'base plate needs of the patient, for example, elimination by the patient, to facilitate which the base plate I is provided with an opening 32.

No attempt is made herein, to describe the procedure involved in treating any particular fracture or dislocation by means of the splint structure, because it would be impossible to adecorinected-"with said base plate and projecting 7 10. This is of great importance in'caringfor the quately discuss the many different cases, capable of being so'treated, and because it is believed that the, experienced practitioner will at once from the present description, understand the applicability of the invention to his own practice, and how it is to be used in anyparticular case.

In some cases it may be desirable to remove the back supporting portion from the base plate In, and to do this, the hinge I2 is preferably provided with a readily removable and headed pintle rod 33 held in place in the hinge I by a thumb nut 34 threaded on the unheaded end of said rod (Fig. 1), so that-by removing the nut 34 and the rod 33, the portion ll may readilybe separated from the base plate 10.

While I have shown myinvention in the particular embodiment described, I do not limit myself thereto, as I may employ equivalents thereof without departing from the scope of v the appended tially a single plane and having a length to support the entire extended leg and foot of a patient, each of said leg extensions being substantially shorter than the corresponding leg support, and means independently supporting each of said leg supports from the corresponding leg extension,

each of said leg supports including two interengaging sections of flat sheet material longitudinally movable relatively to each other in substantially the same plane to adjust the length of the leg support, andmeans holding said sections in desired adjustment.

2. A splint structure including in combination a substantially fiat base plate of sheet material for supporting a patient, said base plate having rigid leg extensions projecting from one of its ends and substantially inthe plane of said base therefrom over said' leg extensions,:e'ach of: said leg supports being rigid and restricted to substantially' a single plane' and having a length to sup,- port the entire extended leg and foot of a patient, eacli-iof said leg extensions being substantially shorter than the corresponding leg support, and means independently supporting each of said leg supports from the corresponding leg extension, said supporting means including adjustable devices between each of said leg supports and the corresponding leg" extension supporting said leg support at difierent inclinations relatively to said base plate as desired. L

3.- A splint structure including in combination a substantially flat base plate of sheet material for supporting a patient, said base plate having rigid leg extensions projecting from one of its ends and substantially in the plane of said base plate, leg supports of flat sheet material flexibly connected with said base plate and projecting theerfrom over said leg extensions, each of said leg supports being rigid and restricted to substantially a single plane and having a length to support the entire'extended leg and foot of a patient, each of said leg extensions being substantially shorter than the corresponding leg support, and means independently supporting each of said leg supports from the corresponding leg extension,

said supportingmeans including adjustable devices between each of said leg supports and the corresponding leg extension supporting said leg.

therefrom over said leg extensions, each of 'said' leg supports being rigid and restricted to substantially a single plane and having a length to support the entire extended leg and footof a patient,

each of said leg'extensions being substantially shorter than the, corresponding leg support, and means independently supporting each of said leg "supports from the corresponding leg extension, said supporting means including adjustable devices between each of said leg supportsand the corresponding leg extension supporting said leg support at different inclinations relatively to said base plate as desired, said adjustable devices including an'adjustable strut pivotally connected with each of said leg supports and cooperating notched rack bars secured to the corresponding leg extension. 7

5, A splint structure including in combination a substantially fiat base plate of sheet material patient, each of said leg extensions being substantially shorter than the corresponding leg support, and means independently supporting justable devices including an adjustable strut each of said leg supports from thecorresponding pivotally connected with each of said leg supleg extension, said supporting means including ports and cooperating notched rack bars secured adjustable devices between eachvof said leg supto the corresponding leg extension, said struts ports and the corresponding leg extension sup;- 5 comprising U-shaped metal rods. porting said leg support at difierent inclinations CHARLES E. ULRICH.

relatively to said base plate as desired, said ad- 

